Matthew 5:3 Isaiah 57:18

Introduction Five parts to recovery – Hurt God wants to heal you – Confused God wants to lead you – Helpless God wants to help you – No one understands He Comforts you – Anxious/afraid He Offers peace

The First Principle Realize I’m not God; I admit I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.

“I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t! I do what I don’t want to – what I hate! I know perfectly well what I’m doing is wrong... but I can’t help myself! It is sin inside me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things.” Romans 7:15-17.

The Cause of My Problem: I want to be God By denying our humanity and trying to control everything for selfish reasons.

The Cause of My Problem: I want to be God We want control: – Our image: what others see – Other people: manipulate – Our problems: diminish or deny – Our pain: mask our pain

The Consequences of Playing God Fear – “I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid” Genesis 3:10

The Consequences of Playing God Frustration – Game: knock the gopher down “It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong... something else deep within me... is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me slave to the sin...” Romans 7: 21, 23 (LB) “My dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration.” Psalm 32:4-5 (LB)

The Consequences of Playing God Fatigue: denial requires energy – “My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day until I finally admitted all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide them.”

The Consequences of Playing God Failure – “You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up; then God will show mercy to you.” Proverbs 28:13 (GN)

The Consequences of Playing God Denial: My problem isn’t that bad – We rarely change until our pain exceeds our fear of change! I can solve my problem myself – “If you could have, you would have; but since you can’t, you wont”

The Cure: Admit my Powerlessness Admitting that I’m not God means I know I am: – Powerless to change my past – Powerless to control other people – Powerless to cope with my sinful habits

The Cure: Admit my Powerlessness “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” James 4:6. What is grace? – Grace is the power to change!